Why You Need to Understand Your Kosha Energy

Gaia StaffJune 23, 20140

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By now, you've probably read a decent amount on chakras, but have you
ever taken note of your koshas? They are another vital bodily energy
that those seeking to live holistically very much need to understand for
a balanced life.

A Kosha (also, Kosa) (Sanskrit कोश, IAST: kośa), usually rendered
"sheath", is one of five coverings of the Atman, or Self according to
Vedantic philosophy. They are often visualized as the layers of an
onion. Basically, the koshas are energetic layers or sheaths that move
from the outermost layer of skin to the deep spiritual core. The koshas
provide a framework for conceptualizing ourselves. Much like the
chakra system, the kosha layers come packaged with
their own individual physiological function and psychology.

In some respects, the kosha layers mirror the psychology of the chakras.
This is why it's so important to have a firm grasp on the concepts, and
to understand how each energy system can impact your body and life.

So what are the koshas, and how do they tie into you overall? Here are
quick overviews of each kosha and the area it deals with, as well as a
diagram for a visual picture of how the koshas work according to
MindBodyGreen:

1. Annamaya: "Foodstuff" Sheath

The first layer of the koshas represents the physical body, including
the skin, muscles, connective tissue, fat and bones. When you pinch the
side of your waist and feel the skin and muscle under your fingers, you
engage with annamaya kosha. For a lot of people the first layer might be
where we spend the most time hanging out, locked in our physical senses

2. Pranamaya: "Energy" Sheath

The second layer represents the pranic or subtle body—in essence, it's
the circulatory system for prana, or "life-force
energy." It also includes the fluid,
physical aspects of the anatomical body that control the movement of
blood, lymph and cerebrospinal fluid through the body and the
circulatory movement of breath through the respiratory system. In
psychological terms, pranamaya kosha controls our bodily and spiritual
rhythm.

3. Manomaya "Mindstuff" Sheath

The third layer takes us into the deep recesses of the mind, emotions
and nervous
system.
While modern science has developed an acute understanding of the inner
working of the brain, the mind, motivations and emotions still retain a
mysterious quality. The manomaya kosha makes up the control panel for
the emotional and physical body, sending messages through your brain
synapses and the central nervous system. It’s this layer where you move
from physical feeling and rhythm to emotional feeling.

4. Vijanamaya: "Wisdom" Sheath

Diving underneath the sea of emotions in the manomaya kosha, we reach
the wisdom body of the fourth kosha—Vijanamaya. It’s here that we
develop awareness, insight and
consciousness. Emotions left
unchecked by awareness are destructive. The awareness of vijanamaya
kosha illuminates our deeper desires and motivation and allows us to see
the choice we have in all things. Instead of simply feeling or acting,
we choose to feel or act with intention. Sometimes the intention is
simply to move past the emotion into pure sensation and bliss.

5. Anandamaya: "Bliss" Sheath

The fifth and last kosha drops from conscious awareness into the pure
and radiant bliss body. Within the
anadamaya kosha, you might experience connection with all things,
liberation from suffering and a state of being often described as "in
the flow."

Throughout the day, notice yourself shifting between the koshas layers:

Right now I feel hot.

Right now I’m paying attention to my breathing.

Right now I feel upset.

Right now I understand why I reacted that way yesterday.

Right now I’m deep in meditation.

Right now I feel bliss.

Yoga helps you to create a track to the deeper subtle kosha layers, so
they’re easier to access. As asana prepares the outer body, yogic
breathing turns your attention to the
pranic body. Lastly, yogic philosophy provides the tools for bringing
awareness to your fluctuating emotional state of mind, so you can embody
and radiate health and bliss.

For an even more in depth look, this colorful infographic provides
visual insight:

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Gaia Staff

Gaia guides people on their personal transformational paths with the world's largest library of exclusive and original conscious media. Like our members, Gaia staff are driven by curiosity, passion and the desire to grow, as we continue on our own spiritual journeys and quests. Our members inspire our own authenticity: the quest for transformation never ends. If there is a topic you'd like to learn more about, please let us know. You can also join Gaia as a contributing author and help us connect readers to people and ideas that fuel a conscious life.